Michael Jordan believes super teams are ruining the NBA

Former NBA great and part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats Michael Jordan laughs as he sits courtside during the New York Knick's 111-109 double overtime win over the Bobcats in their NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, December 20, 2006.
Reuters/Mike Segar

Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan isn't a big fan of star players joining forces and forming Super Teams in the NBA. As a response to the Golden State Warriors juggernaut, teams such as the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves loaded up with All-Stars this offseason.

And while the Warriors are still the overwhelming favourites to repeat as NBA champions, teams such a the Rockets and Thunder plan to make the path to the finals a lot more difficult for Steve Kerr & Co. Jordan, who won six championships in his illustrious career, believes the formation of Super Teams is disrupting the competitive balance in the NBA.

"I think it's going to hurt the overall aspect of the league from a competitive standpoint. You're going to have one or two teams that are going to be great, and another 28 teams that are going to be garbage. Or they're going to have a tough time surviving in the business environment," Jordan told Cigar Aficionado magazine in an interview.

Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA, said recently said that the league has always had to deal with a few Super Teams, dating back to the 1960s.

NBA Super Teams have been around forever

"It's just hard for me to fathom how there becomes this perception that at the moment there are only two teams that are truly competitive in this league. I just don't believe it. I think you're going to see these things have a way of working themselves out over time. Kawhi Leonard was the 15th pick in the draft; Isaiah Thomas was the 60th pick in the draft; Draymond Green was the 35th pick in the draft. And we have a great draft class coming up next year," Silver told ESPN's Mike & Mike in a recent interview.

The Warriors and Cavs have already created history by reaching three consecutive NBA finals over the last three years. And despite a plethora of Super Teams ready to challenge them, odds makers expect Warriors and Cavs to renew their rivalry next June in a potential fourth consecutive final match-up.

"When I hear people say that (Golden State and Cleveland) are now the two teams that are dynasties. Think back -- we had the Lakers and Celtics. Celtics have won 17 championships, Lakers 16. That's almost half of all championships won in the NBA by those two teams. Now these two teams are being called dynasties. One, you're in Cleveland right now, that franchise before last year had never won in the history of the NBA. Golden State hadn't won it in 40 years," Silver added.

The 2017-18 NBA season kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 17. Opening night fixtures are pitting the reigning champions Golden State Warriors against Houston Rockets, besides an Eastern Conference finals rematch between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers